House Hunters International - General Discussion

[aghst]

Guy in Dublin was going to work from home so why would he need to be in the city?

In one of the scenes showing them doing something in their new city they were tasting microbrews.  So if they did that regularly it would make sense to be in the city.

But they didn’t talk about night life or entertainment.  Didn’t talk about travel.  Instead she kept talking about her cats — and one point said something like “since we don’t have kids.”

Midlife crisis indeed.  Though why would they agree to be cast in that light?

Maybe it’s a good professional opportunity for him or maybe they wanted to get away from South Africa for whatever reason.  Or maybe some family in Europe they wanted to be near.

Just not convinced they wanted to change their life because of some restlessness which arose at middle age.

[Meowwww]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

Guy in Dublin was going to work from home so why would he need to be in the city?

In one of the scenes showing them doing something in their new city they were tasting microbrews.  So if they did that regularly it would make sense to be in the city.

But they didn’t talk about night life or entertainment.  Didn’t talk about travel.  Instead she kept talking about her cats — and one point said something like “since we don’t have kids.”

Midlife crisis indeed.  Though why would they agree to be cast in that light?

Maybe it’s a good professional opportunity for him or maybe they wanted to get away from South Africa for whatever reason.  Or maybe some family in Europe they wanted to be near.

Just not convinced they wanted to change their life because of some restlessness which arose at middle age.

My opinion:

He wanted to be in the city for a fun change in his life. (I don’t know where hey came from).

She wanted a quiet location. She won. 
The whole episode fell flat. 

[LittleIggy]

21 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

I wasn't impressed with any of the offerings in Dublin and I usually love the options in Ireland.  I was surprised they couldn't find better properties for $3000/month.  The last option had an amazing atrium but the apartments wasn't good (the bathroom looked old and dirty).  They were talking about how the common area would be great for the cats and I was like maybe not so much if they start wandering into other homes, etc.

The atrium place’s kitchen was dirty and old, too. 😳

[Grrarrggh]

2 hours ago, Meowwww said:

My opinion:

He wanted to be in the city for a fun change in his life. (I don’t know where hey came from).

They were from Johannesburg ZA. 

[Pine]

On 7/17/2021 at 12:03 PM, Grrarrggh said:

They were from Johannesburg ZA. 

Which probably doesn't have a good nightlife.  

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, Pine said:

Which probably doesn't have a good nightlife.  

It actually does have a pretty big nightlife scene because there are a lot of artists and musicians based there so there are all kinds of things from nightclubs to a thriving bar scene.

[Grrarrggh]

12 hours ago, Pine said:

Which probably doesn't have a good nightlife.  

Joburg is one of the biggest cities in the world and is considered the capital for culture in ZA. It definitely has nightlife. But it also has suburbs, which they apparently lived in. 

[Grizzly]

Brisbane, Aus. How old is she? She's worried about falls? When she's not trying to be a teenager. Instead of worrying about having space for a renter, why not scale back on her budget? I can't be too hard on her, she loves ice cream. And she didn't give in to her kids. To her credit, they were not bratty.

[ECM1231]

15 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Brisbane, Aus. How old is she? She's worried about falls? When she's not trying to be a teenager. Instead of worrying about having space for a renter, why not scale back on her budget? I can't be too hard on her, she loves ice cream. And she didn't give in to her kids. To her credit, they were not bratty.

I thought it funny that the son called his mom vain yet he was the one constantly posing for selfies. They were a very attractive family. I missed seeing the inside of the  resort house, house #2, because my husband came in and started talking to me. It was 420K and had the pool. The mom's objection was that she'd have to invest money for an accessory dwelling unit. However she paid 40K more for the small house with no pool. Wouldn't the 40K more than cover the cost of getting a rental unit added?

Also, why is Brisbane much more affordable than other cities in Australia? I thought it was a fairly large city and most of the other areas we have seen are so much more expensive.

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, ECM1231 said:

I thought it funny that the son called his mom vain yet he was the one constantly posing for selfies. They were a very attractive family. I missed seeing the inside of the  resort house, house #2, because my husband came in and started talking to me. It was 420K and had the pool. The mom's objection was that she'd have to invest money for an accessory dwelling unit. However she paid 40K more for the small house with no pool. Wouldn't the 40K more than cover the cost of getting a rental unit added?

Also, why is Brisbane much more affordable than other cities in Australia? I thought it was a fairly large city and most of the other areas we have seen are so much more expensive.

They moved from Auckland, NZ. I believe they said Brisbane was more affordable than Auckland. 
I wonder how much it would have cost to put plumbing and electric plus a kitchen and bathroom into that shed at the “resort house”? 
Good to see Jesse James the OZ cowboy again!

[Grizzly]

14 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Good to see Jesse James the OZ cowboy again!

He has gotten much more comfortable in front of the camera. The first time I saw him, he was so monotone and wooden. Now I enjoy seeing him.

[Grrarrggh]

I couldn't believe that it would cost more to fix up that garage than it would to buy the duplex. Typical HH machinations. 

[Crashcourse]

I thought the Brisbane family was nice but I was kind of skeeved out with the son flipping his mom around like she was his girlfriend.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Crashcourse
"his" not "him"

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 7/16/2021 at 2:29 PM, seacliffsal said:

I wasn't impressed with any of the offerings in Dublin and I usually love the options in Ireland.  I was surprised they couldn't find better properties for $3000/month.  The last option had an amazing atrium but the apartments wasn't good (the bathroom looked old and dirty). 

I hated the atrium.  It reminded me of the Holiday Inn Holidome from when I was a kid (there's also one in the movie Terms of Endearment).  I'm not a huge fan of apartments that don't open to the outside, and I think the atrium would be really loud and echo-y, and I shudder at the sound of slamming doors.

[kirklandia]

5 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I hated the atrium.  It reminded me of the Holiday Inn Holidome 

It made me think of some recent articles I have seen about reimagining failing shopping malls as housing. An interesting   solution.

I remember, in an episode of Parts Unknown or No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain was visiting an extremely remote location where the entire village lived in one building.  I remember it as mall-like, with a shared indoor space that they used as a common area.  It must've been in a challenging climate.  They had some sort of festival, maybe to honor him, with dancing and eating and plenty of drinking.

I could have the details wrong – can anybody help me out here?

Edited July 22, 2021 by kirklandia

[LittleIggy]

Bangkok: How often does the HH think he is going to have visitors? Just get an inflatable mattress to put in the spare bedroom. The big guy was funny.

[Kenzie]

5 hours ago, kirklandia said:

It made me think of some recent articles I have seen about reimagining failing shopping malls as housing. An interesting   solution.

I remember, in an episode of Parts Unknown or No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain was visiting an extremely remote location where the entire village lived in one building.  I remember it as mall-like, with a shared indoor space that they used as a common area.  It must've been in a challenging climate.  They had some sort of festival, maybe to honor him, with dancing and eating and plenty of drinking.

I could have the details wrong – can anybody help me out here?

Yes, that was a 2012 episode of No Reservations shot in Malaysia. Living communally in close quarters in that traditional long house would have to either take a lot of respect for privacy or a very open attitude to the lack of privacy. I still miss Tony. 

[MartyQui]

19 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

The big guy was funny.

Am I bad for thinking I wanted to dig my fingers into his beard?  It was delicious. And I don’t normally like beards.

I think he picked a good apartment.
 

[seacliffsal]

I found the Thailand episode to be fun and entertaining.  I didn't really care for the house hunter at first, but he loosened up during the episode and seemed like a fun, nice guy.  However, I think Mark, his friend, really helped bring the fun side out of him.  Mark was delightful.  Snack drawer, dance studio, etc.  I also liked the apartment he chose even though the first one was also really nice.

[BrownBear2012]

On 7/20/2021 at 11:03 PM, Grizzly said:

Brisbane, Aus. How old is she? She's worried about falls? When she's not trying to be a teenager. Instead of worrying about having space for a renter, why not scale back on her budget? I can't be too hard on her, she loves ice cream. And she didn't give in to her kids. To her credit, they were not bratty.

I disagree…I thought they were bratty. The girl was precocious and kept interrupting her mom with commentary that was either embarrassing to her mom or inappropriate. She needed to learn some manners. The brother was snotty…he had a “tude” and when she said he would have to mow the lawn he said “No…I’ll be playing basketball”…in a very rude way. At the end she asked if he had done his homework and he said “no, but I’ll still get good grades”…these two brats treat her like crap…the girl demanding a pool and the brother giving her attitude and posing for selfies. As a single mom she better toughen up a bit and quit acting like their big sister.

Edited July 23, 2021 by BrownBear2012

[LittleIggy]

Brisbane: Yeah, mom needs to be mom and not her kids’ cool friend.

[TVForever]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:35 AM, LittleIggy said:

 The big guy was funny.

 

12 hours ago, MartyQui said:

Am I bad for thinking I wanted to dig my fingers into his beard?  It was delicious. And I don’t normally like beards.

I think he picked a good apartment.
 

Did he remind anyone else of Ben Napier from Home Town?

[BrownBear2012]

On 7/17/2021 at 1:20 PM, LittleIggy said:

The atrium place’s kitchen was dirty and old, too. 😳

Yeah...what a dump. You'd think the property manager would have it cleaned up and repairs made before showing it. That would be a red flag for me as to the care and concern management has for it's apartments. All in all I was not impressed at all with the places they looked at and Dublin looked kind of drab and dreary.

[LittleIggy]

Netherlands: That loft level with the bed had what appeared to be a plexiglass (couldn’t have been glass) panel floor. So don’t wear a skirt if you have company! 😬

[aghst]

Brisbane mom may have been too close to the kids but she says she was shy growing up so her children seems to have helped her get out of her shell a bit.

They sounded like Kiwis too.  She did choose the most expensive one but made more sense with rental income in place.

Thailand was fun, spent a little more, found some friends.  Seemed to truly like living overseas, at least for awhile, first Nairobi now Bangkok.  
 

Maastricht, she seemed to give in to make the bf happy, having to do the longer commute.  Those stairs to the loft, you have to concentrate not to fall off.

Like the agent Floor.  Maybe she and Sarah flip coins on which one does the episode whenever they’re doing an episode in the Netherlands.

New graphics and a 3D map with some tower rising upwards.

[ArtFossil]

Netherlands:

From ghoulies and ghosties
And California upspeak
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!

[laredhead]

Maastricht couple seemed to not be on the same page as to where their relationship was going judging by his comments.  I didn't get the idea that he's ready to become a permanent couple.  As for the housing options, I think the 2nd one was the best choice.  The one they chose is close to where he wants to live, but that place is small, and those stairs are just waiting for one misstep by someone.   

[LittleIggy]

54 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Maastricht couple seemed to not be on the same page as to where their relationship was going judging by his comments.  I didn't get the idea that he's ready to become a permanent couple.  As for the housing options, I think the 2nd one was the best choice.  The one they chose is close to where he wants to live, but that place is small, and those stairs are just waiting for one misstep by someone.   

Well, he’s paying for it so...

[Grrarrggh]

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Well, he’s paying for it so...

So is she. 

[LittleIggy]

8 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

So is she. 

They kept saying they were living off his savings until he got a job (which he did).

Edited July 25, 2021 by LittleIggy

[aghst]

Hmm, that's quite a commitment if he's willing to pay for her housing and food.

What about her school costs, tuition, books, etc.

[Grrarrggh]

4 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

They kept saying they were living off his savings until he got a job (which he did).

Did they? I thought they said our savings. Or he may have said "his" but that might have just been his pov. I'll have to rewatch. 

[amarante]

How do people study abroad in a graduate program when they don’t know the language? In the US foreign grad students generally have to take the test measuring proficiency in English. 

[LittleIggy]

39 minutes ago, amarante said:

How do people study abroad in a graduate program when they don’t know the language? In the US foreign grad students generally have to take the test measuring proficiency in English. 

I’ve wondered about that, too. Maybe some programs are taught in English. Foreign students entering undergrad programs here have to have English proficiency too.

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, amarante said:

How do people study abroad in a graduate program when they don’t know the language? In the US foreign grad students generally have to take the test measuring proficiency in English. 

The universities that are chosen have English language programmes. 

[Grizzly]

Nottingham, England. Darn, I was hoping for Richard. How brave of them to take on that reno without knowing what they're doing. I guess it is all about location.

[chocolatine]

On 7/8/2021 at 2:47 PM, Dehumidifier said:

B) Europeans are not religious nowadays.

That's completely false, at least in Germany. The Christian Democrats are one of the two majority political parties. Plenty of Germans, including young people (Gen-X and millennials), are devout Catholics or Evangelicals. They're just not "in your face" about it, don't proselytize, and don't spout bigoted views in the name of religion.

On 7/9/2021 at 1:21 PM, Bastet said:

If you're too embarrassed to say on national TV that's what you're doing, maybe evaluate your life choices.

She said she's an EA to a CEO, which is true according to the website linked above. She just neglected to mention the nature of the organization that the CEO runs.

On 7/22/2021 at 1:28 AM, Kenzie said:

Yes, that was a 2012 episode of No Reservations shot in Malaysia. Living communally in close quarters in that traditional long house would have to either take a lot of respect for privacy or a very open attitude to the lack of privacy.

Judging by my own experience in Soviet communal apartments as well as a German refugee center, it's most definitely the latter. "Privacy" is not even a concept in those situations.

On 7/27/2021 at 10:32 AM, amarante said:

How do people study abroad in a graduate program when they don’t know the language? In the US foreign grad students generally have to take the test measuring proficiency in English. 

In the Netherlands many university programs are taught in English. There are a lot of international students *and* faculty. The son of a family friend lives in Germany but works as a lecturer in Maastricht, and since he's not fluent in Dutch he teaches in English.

Edited July 28, 2021 by chocolatine

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Grizzly said:

Nottingham, England. Darn, I was hoping for Richard. How brave of them to take on that reno without knowing what they're doing. I guess it is all about location.

I got tired of her sniping at him. I assume it was in a joking way, but it still annoyed me.

[Meowwww]

10 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I got tired of her sniping at him. I assume it was in a joking way, but it still annoyed me.

I got tired of her American expectations (and I’m American) and the faces she was making. 

[Dehumidifier]

1 hour ago, Meowwww said:

I got tired of her American expectations (and I’m American) and the faces she was making. 

Halfway through; switched to the news. She is obnoxious. Not sure I'm going back. Hope for his sake it was nerves on her part.

[Grrarrggh]

3 hours ago, Dehumidifier said:

Halfway through; switched to the news. She is obnoxious. Not sure I'm going back. Hope for his sake it was nerves on her part.

I think this one was down to the editor. He seemed just as snarky but, per usual, it was the woman who came off looking the worst. 

[seacliffsal]

So, first she tells us she did a semester abroad in England and loved it, then she states "in America we put flowers in vases."  So, which is it?  Love England or want to act all offended that things are different?  Even with producers prompting them, I am amazed that house hunters allow themselves to be shown in such a negative light.

[Grrarrggh]

22 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

So, first she tells us she did a semester abroad in England and loved it, then she states "in America we put flowers in vases."  So, which is it?  Love England or want to act all offended that things are different?  Even with producers prompting them, I am amazed that house hunters allow themselves to be shown in such a negative light.

I think a lot of it is different opinions on humour. I thought that was a funny comment as did my British husband. And loving a country doesn't mean you have to accept everything with blind devotion. 

[jacksgirl]

She was annoying. Have a feeling her mommy and daddy are footing bill for house. They did pick the best choice- location was the decider. 

[LittleIggy]

Perth: If the fiancée is hoping that she and her man will get their own place once they get married, she may be in for a rude awakening!

[debbie311]

Nottingham.  She was obnoxious, with her constant bullying of her partner.  Or husband?  Don't remember if they were married or not.

[Grizzly]

Valencia, Spain. Wow, what a back story. You'd think Katharine would concentrate on what would make him happy. All the places seem lovely. The realtor really made this episode. "This is Steve happy 😶 and this is Steve unhappy 😶." Glad Steve was good humored and played along.

[LittleIggy]

Loved the realtor in Valencia! He was funny and a silver fox. As a retired FBI agent, wouldn’t Steve have a pension?

[cinsays]

On 7/28/2021 at 12:53 AM, LittleIggy said:

I got tired of her sniping at him. I assume it was in a joking way, but it still annoyed me.

Yikes.

I found her to be very disagreeable and I am hoping he soon tires of her and they split. There was nothing at all cute or funny about her constant whining and acting like an entitled princess.

[chessiegal]

10 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Loved the realtor in Valencia! He was funny and a silver fox. As a retired FBI agent, wouldn’t Steve have a pension?

Absolutely. I'm a retired federal employee, and it's a delightful guarantee. Which also includes reasonable cost health insurance, can't be turned away.

And federal law enforcement agents can retire after 20 years. I had to work longer.